In an age in which intra-Muslim religious argumentation dominates, heterodox groups have tried and had great success in presenting their beliefs as normative Islam to the average lay Muslim. Unfortunately many of these beliefs are largely at odds with the classical articulations of Sunni orthodoxy throughout the ages.

This work, Ahl al-Sunna : The Ashʿaris, aims to remedy this problem. Drawing from the works of Islam’s greatest scholars through the centuries, Shaykh Hamad al-Sinan and Shaykh Fawzi al-ʿAnjari detail the genesis, rise, beliefs, and contributions of the Ashʿari school of theology, and address—in a refreshingly fair-minded and non-sectarian way—common misconceptions about the Ashʿari school and demonstrate how its rich religious discourse is firmly anchored in the Qurʾan, the Sunna, the way of the Companions, and sound reasoning.

Reviews :

'' The book in front of us is a useful and blessed endeavor that clarifies what Shaykh al-Islam and Imam amongst the Imams, Abu al-Hasan al-Ashʿari, may Allah be pleased with him, was upon: a creed free from anthropomorphism or negation of Allah’s attributes. His was indeed the creed of the pious predecessors [Salaf]. Through its compelling arguments, numerous scholarly quotes, and discussions by prominent scholars, Ahl al-Sunna : The Ashʿaris succeeds in its aim, and is added to the long list of works compiled by Hadith scholars and theologians who defended Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Ashʿari, such as Ibn ʿAsakir’s Tabyin Kadhib al-Muftari (Clarifying the Lie of the Calumniator), al-Bayhaqi’s declaration in the beginning of his compilation on belief entitled al-Iʿtiqad, and others … May Allah reward the two authors with goodness for their eagerness through this work to defend the tenets of faith upheld by the vast majority of Muslims.'' —Shaykh Husayn ʿAbd al-ʿAli.

'' Allah has guided these brothers in writing this book to clarify the truth and refute and expose falsehoods concerning the origin and creed of the Ashʿaris, clarifying to those who may not know about them, or only know of them through false information that has reached them.'' —Shaykh Hasan Hito.

---Chapter [2]. The Biography of Imām Abū al-Hasan al-Ash'arī,---Chapter [3]. Did Imam al-Ash'arī Die upon a Different Doctrine?------Refuting the First Premise : The Three Stages of Imam al-Ashari, ------Refuting the Second Premise : Abdullah b. Sa'id b. Kullab, ------Refuting the Third Premise : The Book Al-Ibana,------Refuting the claim that some of the Imam's retracted from the Ash'ari Doctrine.

---Chapter [4]. Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jamāh,

---Chapter [5]. The Statements of Some Contemporary Scholars Regarding the Ash'arīs,------The ambiguous Verses according to the Early and Latter-Day Scholars,------The Correct Understanding of the ambiguous Verses

---Chapter [7]. Non-Specific Interpretation [tafwid] and Specific Figurative Interpretation [ta'wil],------The Position of the Majority of the Salaf was tafwid,---------Important Notice : The Salafs understanding of the ambiguous texts,------Figurative Interpretation is a Correct Method taken from the Salaf and the Arabic language,------Examples of Figurative Interpretation given by the scholars,------Statements from the scholars in which they negate Sensory Modalities.

---Chapter [9]. The Salaf’s Figurative Interpretations of the Texts Pertaining to the Attributes,------Ibn Abbas' Interpretation of the footstool [kursi],------Ibn Abbas' Interpretation of the coming of the Lord,------Ibn Abbas' Interpretation of the word ''eye'' ['ayn],------Ibn Abbas' Interpretation of the word ''hand'' [yad],------Ibn Abbas' Interpretation of ''light'' [nur], ------Ibn Abbas' Interpretation of the texts that mention ''face'' [wajh],------Ibn Abbas' Interpretation of ''shin'' [saq],------Mujahid and al-Suddi's Interpretation of the word ''side'' [janb],------The Interpretation of Al-Dahhak, Qatada and Sa'id b. Jubayr for the word ''shin'' [saq],------The Interpretation of Sufyan al-Thawri and Ibn Jarir al-Tabiri for ''rising'' [istiwa],------The Interpretation of Mujahid, Al-Dahhak, Abu Ubayda for the word ''face'' [wajh],------Imam al-Shafi's interpretation of the word ''face'' [wajh], ------Imam al-Tabiri's interpretation of the word ''eye'' ['ayn],------Imam Malik's interpretation of the hadith of ''descent'' [nuzul], ------Imam Ahmad's interpretation of Allah's coming,------Al-Hasan al-Basri's interpretation,------Imam al-Bukhari's interpretation of ''laughter'' [dahak],------Imam al-Bukhari's interpretation of the word ''face'' [wajh], ------Notice : The misconception that the affirmation of general meanings negates specific affirmation of attributes,------Response : Attributes are affirmed as they have appeared, without explanation or imparting specific meanings.

---Chapter [10]. The Ash'aris and Maturidi's are the Majority of the Umma,------The Senior Qur'anic Exegetes of the Umma, from the Ash'aris and Maturidi's,--------Notice : Imam Muhammad b. Jarir al-Tabari,------Some of the Latter-day Ash'ari Qur'anic Exegetes,------The Senior Hadith Scholars and Masters of the Umma, from the Ash'aris and Maturidi's,------The Senior Jurists of the Umma, from the Ash'aris and Maturidi's,------The Notable Scholars of Language and Literature, from the Ash'aris and Maturidi's,------Author's on the Prophetic Biography [sira] from the Ash'aris and Maturidi's,

---Chapter [11]. The Noble Efforts of the Ahl al-Sunna in Defending the Religion and Refuting the Innovators,